2019 ScheduleAll times ET

2019 Schedule
54-45, 1st in NL Cent
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
22hBradford Doolittle

Now and always, Cooperstown celebrates baseball at its best

On an induction weekend when the first unanimous star and one of the most unlikely selections officially entered its doors, the Hall of Fame provided a needed reminder of all that is right with the game.

Marly Rivera ESPN Writer 

Harold Baines, Roy Halladay, Edgar Martínez, Mike Mussina, Mariano Rivera and Lee Smith were inducted with 53 returning Hall of Famers in Cooperstown on Sunday, bringing the total number of Hall of Famers in town to a record 58 – the most at any location in history.

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
1d

Mariano, always 'the last,' closes HOF ceremony

Mariano Rivera and fellow closer Lee Smith, starters Mike Mussina and the late Roy Halladay, and designated hitters Edgar Martinez and Harold Baines were inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame on Sunday, with Rivera the last to take the podium.

Urias makes sweet scoop and throw for the out (0:29)
Mejia mashes go-ahead homer (0:27)
Tatis drives in tying run (0:27)

Bradford Doolittle ESPN Staff Writer 

In thanking the people from his hometown of Castle, Louisiana, Lee Smith said, "You think Cooperstown is small, you've never been to Castle." Smith talked of how essential the role of community played in helping him get to the majors. He also recalled Buck O'Neil, a longtime Cubs scout, helping pave the way for his first pro contract.

Frank Franklin II/AP
2d

High heat: Majors gripped by Saturday scorcher

Saturday was a scorcher across the major leagues, with many teams forgoing batting practice and with ballparks deploying misters in an attempt to keep fans cool.

1:20

Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer 

Watch Javy Baez discuss what was better, his ninth inning tag or hitting a 3 run homer in the Cubs win on Saturday.

William Weinbaum ESPN 

Lee Smith said in our pre-HoF induction interview Fri. that opposing hitters "knew I had pinpoint control. If I threw a ball right on the corner, I could expand the strike zone a little bit, and you start doing that, you're going to get borderline pitches, so you can let the hitter get himself out." Smith said his repertoire was a two-seamer, a four-seamer and a slider. "I started throwing a forkball at the end, but it was really a cutter — and Harry Caray called it a slider, so I wasn't going to argue with him." Smith also said his customary slow walk in from the bullpen was calculated, to make hitters wait, think and guess at what first pitch they'd face.

William Weinbaum ESPN 

Pitcher Ernie Broglio, who died this week at age 83, was the man St. Louis famously traded to the Cubs for outfielder Lou Brock in a deal some call the best/worst of all-time. In our 2011 Baseball Tonight interview (https://www.espn.com/mlb/columns/story?id=6053505), Broglio asserted for the first time that St. L. had kept secret from Chi. that he was being treated for an injured elbow. "I think the Cardinals knew a lot -- a lot more than what I knew of the injury," Broglio said. "So that's why I think they decided that they send the bad arm problem, get rid of him." The Cards soared and Brock was a Hall of Famer, while Broglio struggled - but they became buddies.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
5dJesse Rogers

Darvish wins at Wrigley for first time with Cubs

Yu Darvish now has thrown back-to-back gems for the Cubs, with Wednesday's helping him to his first win at Wrigley Field since he signed with Chicago two years ago.

1:00

Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer 

Watch Yu Darvish discuss getting his first win at Wrigley Field as a Cub.

William Weinbaum ESPN 

Retired Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, who died Tue. at 99, was a lifelong Cubs fan who said his first two trips to Wrigley Field were for Game 1 of the 1929 World Series (a 3-1 loss to the A's) and Game 3 in ‘32 — he said he thought Babe Ruth DID call his shot on his mythical home run that day (the Yankees won 7-5 on 2 HRs each by Ruth & Lou Gehrig). In 2005, he threw a ceremonial first pitch at Wrigley that he called "the highlight of my career." And he attended a Cubs World Series game in 2016. Another sports connection: in 2001, Stevens delivered the 7-2 majority opinion that resulted in Casey Martin being allowed to use a cart in a PGA tournament, because of a disability — he said the tour's walking rule was "at best peripheral" and "not an indispensable feature" of golf at any level.

1:10

Jesse Rogers ESPN Staff Writer 

Watch Kyle Schwarber discuss hitting his first walk off homer against his childhood team.

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Team Stats

  • Batting
  • Pitching
Runs502
Batting Average.255
On Base Percentage.336
Slugging Percentage.455
Earned Run Average4.06
Quality Starts47
WHIP1.31
BAA.249